Browse Health Careers Articles

h4. I chose this career because... I chose to become a pediatrician because I wanted a challenging career in the medical field dealing with children and their parents. A pediatrician encompasses qualities of a medical detective, a counselor, and a healer. There is an element of intrigue in searching for signs and symptoms of diseases and solving diagnostic dilemmas. This is ...

h4. I chose this career because... I chose to become an audiologist because I was intrigued by the combination of science and working with people and helping them. As an undergraduate, I majored in speech pathology. During my junior year, I had the opportunity to take my first audiology course. That is when it all clicked. The professor was inspiring, enthusiastic, ...

With an increase in the number of premature babies requiring acute hospital care, new and experienced nurses are finding more career opportunities in neonatal nursing. Neonatal nurses work in general maternity wards and in neonatal intensive-care units (NICUs). Those caring for premature and critically ill babies spend their shifts diapering and feeding the infants, checking vital signs, administering medications and tests, ...

With an ability to think quickly, act decisively and stay calm when lives are at stake, critical-care nurses are among the in-demand healthcare professionals who make life-or-death decisions about patient care every day. Critical-care nurses treat patients at high risk for actual or potential life-threatening health problems and also tend to the emotional well-being of those patients' families. That's no small ...

h4. I chose this career because... I chose to become a dentist because I liked what the profession represented: a constantly evolving field that provides challenges in science, mechanics, and psychology. No person or procedure is ever the same. To remain proficient, you must constantly build on your knowledge base and learn to apply it to provide the best possible service ...

h4. I chose this career because... I chose to become an occupational therapist because I always liked science. I began to consider occupational therapy (OT) as a career when my identical twin sister fell-off a horse and broke her arm. She required OT during her recovery. While working on my biology degree, I was further inspired to consider OT. I worked ...

For second-career nurses, the transition from nursing school to working with real patients can range from somewhat uncomfortable to highly shocking. These rookies often have given up secure, well-established careers, only to discover on-the-job demands never mentioned in the textbooks. However, the right attitude can help you weather your first few months on the nursing unit. For those who overcome the ...

h4. I chose this career because... I chose to become an occupational therapy assistant because 12 years ago I had breast cancer and saw first-hand the benefit that the OT assistant gave to the patient. I was an accounts payable supervisor at the time. Before that, I was a secretary, then worked in real estate and then in accounting. After completing ...

*Why did you choose to be an international health specialist?* When I was in high school, I spent a summer building houses and latrines and fighting public health problems in Costa Rica. The difference between life in rural Latin America and the United States made a big impression on me. I realized how much poverty there was in other countries. I ...

h4. I chose this career because... I chose to become an internist because I have always been interested in medicine, and at an early age, decided I wanted to be a doctor. In undergraduate school, I was exposed to research and loved it. I was a summer student at NCI the summer before medical school and the first summer during medical ...

For many overweight and obese Americans, exercise is a real pain -- in the back or the knees or the ankles. Even simple actions such as walking or climbing stairs can cause discomfort. Excess weight stresses joints, affects proper movement and predisposes them to osteoarthritis, tendonitis, overuse injuries and a host of other health problems. Using various methods, physical therapists (PTs) ...

h4. What will I do? You will operate special equipment that uses sound waves to produce images that detect a medical problem or monitor a patient’s condition Ultrasonography during pregnancy is the best-known use of these tests, but sonography is also used to check many other parts of the body. Interview with Diane Johnson, Diagnostic Medical Sonographer in Maryland Sonographers position ...

h4. What’s the most interesting thing you do? Educating clients about how to care for their pets. A lot of people think being a vet tech means working with animals only, but I actually work with people more. [widget:1102] h4. What do you do on a typical day? We see appointments in the morning, which range from routine vaccinations to yearly ...

h4. At a Glance • Animal lovers get satisfaction from this occupation, but aspects of the work can be unpleasant, physically and emotionally demanding, and sometimes dangerous. • Entrants generally complete a 2-year or 4-year veterinary technology program and must pass a State examination. • Employment is expected to grow much faster than average: 41% from 2006 to 2016. • Overall ...

h4. I chose this career because... I chose to become a physical therapist assistant because all of my life I have had an interest in health and science. My favorite subjects in high school were anatomy and physiology. When I was in high school, a physical therapist came to the school to work with the athletes who had been injured. That’s ...

Although people considering careers in nursing come from all walks of life, many potential nurses share a surprisingly common set of questions and concerns, such as “Can I get into nursing school?” and “Am I crazy to become a nurse at my age?” Two nurses and a nursing professor address wannabe nurses’ frequently asked questions. How difficult is it to get ...

Entrepreneurial occupational therapists (OTs) are finding rich rewards by providing both rehabilitation and consulting services to assisted-living facilities and their residents. Assisted-living facilities occupy a niche between independent-living facilities and more-expensive skilled nursing homes, catering to people who are fairly independent but who need some assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs) or who suffer dementia or incontinence. [widget:occupational_therapy_quiz] As society ...

h4. At a Glance • Employment is expected to grow much faster than average (23% between 2006 and 2016) and job opportunities should be good, especially for therapists treating the elderly. • Occupational therapists must be licensed, requiring a master’s degree in occupational therapy, 6 months of supervised fieldwork, and passing scores on national and State examinations. • Occupational therapists are ...

h4. At a Glance • Many physicians and surgeons work long, irregular hours; more than one-third of full-time physicians worked 60 hours or more a week in 2006. • Acceptance to medical school is highly competitive. • Formal education and training requirements are among the most demanding of any occupation, but earnings are among the highest. • Job opportunities should be ...

h4. I chose this career because... I chose to become an occupational therapist because of my early experiences, skills and interests. As a teenager, I became a camp counselor with the United Cerebral Palsy (UCP, http://www.ucp.org/) organization. I had always enjoyed babysitting and working with children, but had never before worked with children with special needs. The work was physically and ...